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Sixers Big Bash champs

01/28/2012 12:42:52 PM

The Sydney Sixers have dominated the inaugural Big Bash League final, beating the Perth Scorchers by seven wickets at the WACA on Saturday night.

A blistering stand by opening pair Moises Henriques (70) and Stephen O'Keefe (48) set the visitors on their way to reach 3-158 with seven balls to spare, in reply to Perth's 5-156.

Henriques struck six fours and four sixes in his 41-ball knock to anchor the Sydney innings, before he was stumped by wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi down the leg side off the bowling of leg-spinner Brad Hogg (1-29).

O'Keefe and Nic Maddinson (10) then struggled to reduce the required run-rate, before the latter departed off the bowling of Ben Edmondson (2-30) with the Sixers still needing 23 off 22 deliveries.

O'Keefe was dismissed by Edmondson two balls later, to give the Scorchers some momentum late in the game.

But Steven Smith then upped the ante for the Sixers, striking 21 off 11 balls - including four boundaries - to ensure Sydney bagged the first-ever Big Bash League trophy.

Earlier, the Scorchers won the toss and elected to bat only to start dreadfully, losing South African opener Herschelle Gibbs (zero) and No.3 Ronchi (two) in the first over.

Speedster Brett Lee (2-21) dug in a short ball to start the game, and Gibbs pulled the delivery straight down the throat of Dominic Thornely at deep square-leg.

Four balls later, Lee had his second wicket as Ronchi chased a delivery outside off-stump, only to edge it through to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill.

Mitchell Marsh (77) looked ominous early, and he took to Henriques' bowling in the seventh over, smashing the paceman for 17 runs, including three fours.

He and Marcus North (22) had settled before veteran Stuart MacGill was introduced, breaking their 58-run partnership.

After mixing up his deliveries to start his first over, the leg-spinner removed North when the left-hander top-edged a sweep shot to O'Keefe.

Paul Collingwood (32) eased the pressure on Marsh with a few clever reverse sweeps, as the pair took the score to 3-99 with five overs remaining.

Collingwood then fell when he skied a Mitchell Starc delivery to Smith, before Marsh was given a life when O'Keefe spilled a chance off the bowling of Lee.

It would prove a costly drop as Marsh added another 22 runs, with his unbeaten 57-ball knock helping the Scorchers to a strong total after a poor start.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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